Worry Free Painting is Certified in Lead Safe Work Practices

2007/2008/2009/2010/2011 Super Service Award Winner from Top Service Provider List

My name is Rossi Palmieri, I’m President of Worry Free Painting.
I am proud to say that my company is certified in the new law designed to protect homeowners, their families and their children against the risk of lead poisoning.

As a painting contractor, we play an important role in helping to prevent lead exposure. Ordinary renovation and maintenance activities can create dust that contains lead. By following the lead-safe work practices, we can prevent lead hazards.

Hiring a painting contractor that is not certified could expose your family and your children to a very hazardous situation.

It is a smart idea to avoid contractors that have not been certified.

Ask for proof of certification before you allow any painting contractor to work in your home even if you are not sure your home has lead paint.

The New Lead Safe Work Practices Law

The 2008 Lead Rules become effective April 22, 2010. After that date, federal law requires painting and other contractors to be certified and to use lead-safe work practices. To become certified, renovation contractors must submit an application and fee payment to EPA. The full context of the law can be viewed at http://epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm

Who Must Follow the 2008 Lead Rule’s Requirements?

In general, anyone who is paid to perform work that disturbs paint in housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978, this may include, but is not limited to:

• Residential rental property owners/managers
• General contractors
• Special trade contractors, including:
  • Painters
  • Plumbers
  • Carpenters
  • Electricians

What Activities Are Subject to the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program?

In general, any activity that disturbs paint in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities, including:

• Remodeling and repair/maintenance
• Electrical work
• Plumbing
• Painting
• Carpentry
• Window replacement

Common renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to adults and children.

To protect against this risk, on April 22, 2008, EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed at preventing lead poisoning. Under the rule, beginning in April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

As a contractor, you play an important role in helping to prevent lead exposure. Ordinary renovation and maintenance activities can create dust that contains lead. By following the lead-safe work practices, you can prevent lead hazards.

Contractors who perform renovation, repairs, and painting jobs in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities must, before beginning work, provide owners, tenants, and child-care facilities with a copy of EPA's lead hazard information pamphlet Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools Contractors must document compliance with this requirement? The EPA’s pre-renovation disclosure form may be used for this purpose.

Contractors who perform renovation, repairs, and painting jobs should also:

• Take training to learn how to perform lead-safe work practices.
  • List of training providers that have been accredited by EPA to provide training for renovators under EPA's Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Program.
  • Please note that if you previously completed an eligible renovation training course you may take the 4-hour refresher course instead of the 8-hour initial course from an accredited training provider to become a certified renovator. Click here for a list of eligible courses.
• Provide a copy of your EPA or state lead training certificate to your client.
• Tell your client what lead-safe methods you will use to perform the job.
• Learn the lead laws that apply to you regarding certification and lead-safe work practices beginning in April 2010.
• Ask your client to share the results of any previously conducted lead tests.
• Provide your client with references from at least three recent jobs involving homes built before 1978.
• Keep records to demonstrate that you and your workers have been trained in lead-safe work practices and that you followed lead-safe work practices on the job. To make recordkeeping easier, you may use the sample recordkeeping checklist (PDF) (1 pg, 58K) that EPA has developed to help contractors comply with the renovation recordkeeping requirements that will take effect in April 2010.

Read about how to comply with EPA's rule in the EPA Small Entity Compliance Guide to Renovate Right.